The purpose of income tax is to provide federal and state "pots" of money that benefit everyone. Taxes pay for public schools, roads and bridges, water systems, clean air, and other projects and services. A graduated tax on profit and income is the most efficient and fairest way to do this.

Right now, we have relatively low taxes, compared to our past history and comparing our taxes to that of other countries. The impact of reduced taxes is reflected in many ways: Our highway system is crumbling. Bridges are disintegrating. Schools without air conditioning, teachers poorly paid with classrooms overflowing. A health care system worse and more expensive than any other developed country. Reduction in fire and police services. Billions still needed for national park upkeep. You can add your own items.

At present, we don't have enough taxes being paid to support the projects and services we need, and the country is deep in debt. We must raise taxes and also cut some of the programs we presently have. We particularly need to get rid of farm, oil and other big business subsidies.

It is necessary for all of us to pay taxes, and for the wealthy to pay the greatest share, if we are to even minimally protect our senior citizens, the disabled, mentally ill, devastated veterans, homeless, unemployed, those whose lives are destroyed by floods, fires and hurricanes, and those without even basic health care. Medicare and Medicaid have proven to be an excellent use of tax dollars. We need to greatly expand these programs.

Despite poll after poll indicating that the majority of Americans want to raise taxes on the wealthy, the Republican party and our billionaire President and his billionaire friends are still demanding additional tax cuts for the rich.

Don't believe the widely discredited lie that cutting taxes on the rich will result in more jobs and money to help the middle class. This old "trickle-down economics", proven to be an absolute failure, was dreamed-up by robber barons and politicians in the 1800's. The idea that rich people will create jobs if taxes are cut is ridiculous. The rich will simply save or invest the cash, or spend it to excess on themselves. Always have, always will. Human nature.

The only way jobs get created is when lots of people spend money. Then demand for products and services goes up. Business men hire more people to make more widgets this making more profit, more taxes get paid, and the government thrives and invests in our future.

If people stop buying, the store keeper and manufacturer reduce the number of widgets being made, cut working hours and lay people off. Taxes don't get paid, the government cuts programs, and I'll be darned, here we are back to today.

So where is the balance point between cutting services and increasing taxes? Supposedly that's what we are paying the politicians at all levels to determine. That's their job. That's what a balanced budget means — balancing the projects and services we need with enough taxes to pay for them.

Unfortunately, many of our senators and congressmen are influenced (owned?) by billionaires like Trump and the Koch brothers and all their billionaire friends.

Each generation thinks most of its politicians are out of touch and untrustworthy, and most of them should be in mental institutions or prisons. Each generation is probably right.

It's time for us to get angry. Write to politicians. Tell them to quit bickering about their ideology (idiotology?), throw off the shackles of their campaign contributors and get to work for us!